Friday
Today's temperature is expected to flirt with 80 degrees, but that won't stop ice skating season from kicking off in earnest. Start your weekend off with a few wobbly laps around the 8,000-square-foot rink at ICE at Santa Monica.
Head down the road afterwards to Vidiots for an evening with Michael Mann. The acclaimed director (Heat, The Insider, Collateral) sits down with Variety editor Kris Tapley to chat about the filmmaker's career, including his use of Los Angeles as a filming location.
Alternatively, spend a night in an Altadena cemetery for one of the final nights of Wicked Lit. This intimate performance drags a dozen attendees across the cemetery grounds for three spooky, roving productions: Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, Edith Nesbit's The Ebony Frame and The Grove of Rashomon, a reimagining of the Akira Kurosawa classic.
Saturday
Take a trek to Santa Ana on Saturday for Outpost Festival. This one-day music fest combines indie tunes (Tijuana Panthers, Delta Spirit, Blonde Redhead), tasty beer, top-notch food trucks (Kogi BBQ, Poke Hut) and even a pop-up market from Atwater boutique Individual Medley.
Closer to home, get a head start on your Christmas shopping at California Made: A Holiday Market. Expect festive stationary kits, calligraphy items and other paper crafts, along with gift-wrapping, champagne and seasonal snacks.
Speaking of the holiday season, brace yourself for some unexpected Saturday night fireworks during the Grove Christmas. Join Seth MacFarlane, Meghan Trainor, Katharine McPhee and a 55-piece orchestra as the shopping mall metropolis lights up its Christmas tree. May we humbly suggest that you ask Santa this year for a prime spot in that mammoth parking garage.
Spend another night at Vidiots to Party Like It's 1985. The Santa Monica video store is celebrating its 30th anniversary with this '80s-themed party, which includes cocktails, DJs spinning '80s music, raffles, games and live music from the Standards.
Sunday
Start your Sunday with a climb up Mount Lee during the Hollywood Sign Summit. Join local architecture, design and planning experts to tour some of the popular viewing areas as well as paths to the sign—there'll be a post-hike brainstorm to discuss and prototype some basic ideas for improving access to the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park in general.
Summit another Eastside slope at the Barnsdall Art Center Holiday Art Sale + Fundraiser. Students and faculty from the Barnsdall Art Park school will be selling prints, ceramics, jewelry and more.
Afterwards, stop by the Los Angeles Central Library for the final day of To Live and Dine in L.A. Delight in a collection of rare, first-edition menus from restaurants that have long since shuttered before this exhibition, too, goes away.
Head a few blocks over to the Los Angeles Theatre for the final performance of Carrie: the Musical. See the historic theater transformed into a high school gym for the creepy production, which is based on the acclaimed La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts show from earlier this year.
Find more things to do this weekend by clicking each day or by heading over to our weekend calendar.